When, the vain partner of thy joys alone, I glitter'd in thy sunshine. Alfon. Heaven reward thee Agnes. Heaven hath rewarded me.-Once more we meet. Oh, give me all thy grief, and I will steal Each pang away, and lull thee to repose. Soft shelter o'er thee: here thy brow be pillow'd; eye of Agnes Shall gladden thine; till, in the gradual peace That gains upon thee, I shall taste once more All bliss that earth can give, Alfon. (falling on her neck, then starts back in horrer). Peace! never, Agnes, 'Tis virtue's heritage. Guilt, guilt is on me.' This picture of a guilty husband, oppressed with remorse and contrition, is dedicated to the Earl of Hardwicke, not because he resembles but because he forms a striking contrast to this tragical portrait. Art. 28. Opuscules Lyriques; i. e. Short Lyric Poems, or Songs, presented to Lady Nelson. By M. Ceby, Naval Officer in the Service of his Britannic Majesty. Crown 8vo. ros. 6d. Boards. Booker. 1801. These Songs appear to be the productions of a juvenile poet, and .relate to tender, encomiastic, and innocent subjects. If they be not stamped with any great originality or force, they may at least rank among harmless effusions of admiration and affection, dictated by a muse of considerable grace and delicacy. The poetry comes under the class of what the French term vers de Société. The volume is elegantly printed; and the airs to each of the songs, which are superior in taste and style to the old French vaudevilles, are well engraved on separate leaves. As most of these several stan zas are addressed to ladies of rank and fashion, the impression of them in this neat and pleasing form will render them an agreeable present to the author's friends, and save him the trouble of transcrip tion. Art. 29. An The Deaf and Dumb; or, The Abbé de l'Epée. Historical Play. In Five Acts. Translated from the French Edition, authenticated by the Author, J. N. Bouilly. Το which is prefixed, some Account of the Abbé de l'Epée, and of the Institution for the Relief and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb. 8vo. 28. Longman and Rees. 1801. The dramatic Muse has been happily employed, in this piece, to spread the fame of a man whose memory will be dear to humanity.As the story of the play has become familiar to the frequenters of our theatre, on which an altered translation, by a different hand, has been already represented, we shall not repeat it here; but the following scene will give the reader an idea of the manner in which this version is executed; at the same time that it illustrates the method of communicating ideas to the deaf and dumb. Clem. How is it possible that this interesting young man should, without the faculties of speech and hearing, understand and express every thing? De l'Epée. Not only so, but he instantly replies to every question. I will give you an example. (Making signs to THEODORE. He first claps THEODORE on the shoulder to command attention, then touches his forehead with two fingers of his right hand during a short time, points to CLEMENTINA with his forefinger, and pretends to write several lines on his left hand.)(THEODORE, after shewing that he understands DE L'EREE's signs, seats himself at the table, takes a pen, and prepares to write.) De l'Epée. (to CLEMENTINA.) Now ask him any question you please he will write it from the signs I shall make, and immediately subjoin his answer.-He waits for you to begin. Elem. (with timidity.) I know not what question - De l'Epée. The first that occurs to your mind. Clem. (after considering for a moment.) Who is, in your opinion, the greatest man now alive in France. De l'Epée. That is a delicate question.-Have the goodness to repeat it slowly, as if you were dictating. (THEODORE shes that he understands DE L'EPFE's signs, and writes after each of them.) • Clem. Who is, in your opinion—(first signs by DE L'EPEE to THEODORE: Touches his forehead with the fingers of his right hand during a short time, paints to THEODORE with his fore finger, raises both hands above his head, then points to all the objects around him.) the greatest man- (Second signs: Raises his hand higher and higher three times, then both hands as high as he can, after which he brings them down each shoulder, and then passes them over his breast to his waist.) now alive-(Third signs: Expresses life, by breathing once with great force, and alternately closing each hand near his heart.) in France (Fourth signs: Throws both hands forward with his fingers extended and his nails towards the earth, and then with Lis fore-finger describes a semi circle from left to right.)-- N. B. These signs must be very distinct, but so quick as not to retard the scene. De l'Epée. (taking the paper from THEODORE, and presenting it to FRANVAL.) You see, Sir, he has written the question with fidelity., Fran. (examining it.) And perfectly correct. (DE L'EPEE again places it before THEODORE, who sits motionless, and lost in contemplation.) Clem. He seems embarrassed. De l'Epée. Any one would be embarrassed to answer such a question. (THEODORE recovers from his reverie, becomes gradually more animated, and then writes.) Fran. (watching the motions of THEODORE.) What intelligence in his looks! what animation in his gestures! what an union of emotion and satisfaction! I am much deceived, or his answer will bear the stamp of a feeling heart and an enlightened mind.. (THEODORS (THEODORE rises, and delivers the paper to CLEMENTINA, making a sign for her to read it. FRANVAL and his mother eagerly approach her; meanwhile THEODORE stands near, DE L'EPEE looking at bim with steadfastness and enquiry) Clem. (reading.) "Question. Who is, in your opinion, the greatest man now alive in France?-Answer. Nature would name Buffon; science, d'Alembert; sentiment and truth, Rousseau; intellect and talents, Voltaire-but humanity, genius, and virtue, proclaim de l'Epée." (THEODORE, after making several signs, representing a balance, by al ternately raising and lowering each hand, then raising his right hand as high as possible, amd pointing to DE L'EPEE with the forefinger of the same, throws himself into DE L'EPEL's arms, who presses him to his bosom.) De l'Epée. (with emotion, which he endeavours to repress.) This error must be forgiven-'tis the effect of his too enthusiastic gratitude. (Again embracing him.) Fran. (taking the paper from CLEMENTINA, and still examining it.) I can scarcely believe my eyes. Mad. Fran. This miracle would be absolutely incredible if we had not seen it. Clem. 'Tis impossible to witness it without an emotion that is most affecting.' It would be unjust not to add that this translation cxcites consi derable interest in the closet, and we conceive that it would have appeared to advantage on the stage. Art. 30. Rodolpho; a Poetical Romance. By James Atkinson. Printed at Edinburgh. 4to. Phillips, London. 1801. This satire consists chiefly of an imitation of Mr. Lewis's popular verses, intitled "Alonzo the Brave and the Fair Imogene," and of some German books of horror: but, probably, the Northern Baid was not aware that Mr. Lewis had already burlesqued his own ingenious doggrel, in the ballad of "Sally Green," or he would have spared the public an additional demonstration of the facility with which this sort of composition may be parodied. In trath, the original verses could boast of little merit, exclusive of their measure; and even that was probably borrowed from Dr. Watts's Poems for Children, some of which run very nearly in the same stanza, though stuffed with fewer words; such as, "Abroad in the meadows, to see the young lambs Run sporting about by the side of their dams," &c. &c. It seems to have been the ambition of some late authors, to revive the terrors and superstitions of the nursery; and it has been the momentary weakness of the public to lend some degree of attention to their efforts: but, in those circles which may be truly denominated literary, this vicious taste has never been admitted; and the works in question have not ranked higher among, real judges, than the History of Jack the Giant-killer, or Thomas Hick-athrift. No source of horror and dismay has been left untouched by Novellists, excepting that which our woeful experience suggests; viz. the presentation of a romance, in five or six massy octavos, to a trembling Reviewer, whose distracted glance cannot find one new or interesting object in the work, or sees the only fair and copious one in the unoccupied margin. To such a wight, the apparition of a fresh ghost-story is indeed matter of dreadful apprehension; and so much does the serious tale commonly approach to the burlesque, that we find it very difficult to make the distinction. We shall now give a short extract fromthe dolorous ditty before us : The storm rav'd aloud, and RODOLPHO, aghast, Saw the fatal stream silently roll, Where ELWINA!-he heard hollow sounds on the blast, Which struck dread and remorse on his soul. Dreadful phantoms arose in his agoniz'd mind; Now his palfry he furiously spurr'd,-and, with speed, Still the storm drove its arrowy sleet on his head, Still they haunt him, O God, can repentance or tears, "Hail Fratricide, hail," still resounds in his ears, The best and shortest character that can be given, perhaps, of this work, is that it is almost equal to the nonsense which the author wishes to expose by it. LAW. Art. 31. The Proceedings in the Court of King's Bench, on a crimi. nal Information against Thomas Aris, Keeper of Cold Bath Field's Prison, at the Suit of John Herron, for cruel, illegal, and inhuman Treatment. 8vo. IS. Smith. John Herron, late a private in the first regiment of foot guards, was committed to the Cold Bath Fields' Prison on a charge of attempting to seduce a fellow soldier from his duty and allegiance; and the Court of King's Bench was subsequently moved for a rule to shew cause why a criminal information should not be granted against Thomas Aris, keeper of the said prison, for cruel and illégal treatment of the said John Herron. Leave was given: but, when the case was argued, and the affidavits on both sides were read, on the motion to make the rule absolute, Lord Kenyon gave his opinion that, Not only was there no case made out to grant the information, but there was no case of criminality, not one single arti cle cle made out against him' (Aris); and that it was a shameful prosecution in all its parts and members.' The rule was therefore discharged with costs. Art. 32. Remarks, critical and miscellaneous, on the Commentaries of Sir William Blackstone. By James Sedgwick of Pembroke College, Oxford; Member of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple. 4to. pp. 320. 12s. Boards. Robinsons, &c. 1800. This Volume has been neglected in consequence of unforeseen circumstances. It displays proofs of the author's reading and reflection, but it shews that his mind has in many instances been perplexed by the intricacies of metaphysical disquisitions, and that he is more inclined to censure than to admire the production of the celebrated commentator. The spirit of a caviller is indeed too frequently discoverable in Mr. Sedgwick's pages; and his style has not been sufficiently chastised and controuled by a correct taste.-Aa the reflections are confined to the first volume of the commentaries, which discusses topics of a political rather than of a legal nature, Mr. Sedgwick's task has not yielded him many opportunities of evi dencing his knowlege as a lawyer: but, where it is called forth, he shews an acquaintance with the reporters and other books of authority. 1801. Art. 33. The Law of Evidence. By Chief Baron Gilbert, Sixth Edition. With Notes and additional References to contemporary Writers and later Cases. By James Sedgwick, Esq. Barrister at Law. 8vo. 7s. 6d. Boards. Clarke and Sons. The Reputation of Chief Baron Gilbert, and of this particular pro duction, is too well established to require any commendation at this period. The importance and difficulty, also, of the subject here discussed, are felt by every professional man; and the assistance which he has received from the contents of this volume has been frequently acknowleged with gratitude. Since the appearance of the last edition, many cases have occured in our courts, in which this topic has been discussed at considerable length, and with great ability. We allude more particularly to the two cases of Bent v. Baker, B. R. H. 29 Geo. 3. 3 T. R. 27., and The King v. The Inhabitants of Friswell, T. 30 Geo. 3. 3 T. R. 707. In the first, it was decided that a broker, who underwrites a policy of insurance after having had it underwritten by others, is a competent witness for the defendant in an action against any of those who underwrote before him. The situation in which he stood, the interest resulting from it, and the wishes which he might entertain, were considered by the Court as applying to his Credit and not his Competency. In the latter case, the Court entertained a doubt, and did not come to a determination, whether evidence of declarations of a pauper who was dead, or insane, relative to his settlement, were admissible. Lord Kenyon and Mr. Justice Grose were of opinion that such evidence was inadmissible; Mr. Justice Ashhurst and Mr. Justice Buller were of a contrary sentiment; and therefore no order was made in the case. Mr. Sedgwick has enriched this edition with many pertinent notes, and many appropriate references; though he has omitted to intro H4 duce |